The Department of Social Services has commissioned research aimed at improving the knowledge base about giving and volunteering patterns and trends to support evidence-based policy development.

DSS, on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership, recently commissioned a research report to better understand volunteering and giving within culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and Indigenous communities.

The research provides some insights and case stories, highlighting the valuable contribution that migrants and refugees make to Australian community life.

Key findings are:

• there is a gap in knowledge in this area
• volunteering and giving are important drivers of social cohesion in Australia
• the significant philanthropic and volunteering activity in CALD and Indigenous communities is often under-reported and poorly understood by mainstream organisations, policy makers and academics
• there are a number of barriers to volunteering and giving among CALD and Indigenous groups
• there are opportunities for volunteer involving organisations to engage more effectively.